Violence against doctors: more than 1,200 incidents in 2022, an increase of 23% in one year

At least 1,244 doctors were victims of assaults and/or violence in 2022, according to the Doctors’ Safety Observatory carried out by the National Council of the College of Physicians. A significant number, 23% more than in the same study carried out in 2021 (1009 identified cases).

On average, since 2003, 841 doctors have been victims of incidents, assaults or violence.

In 2022, general practitioners were the most victims of these incidents (71% of cases reported to the Order of Physicians), while the actual proportion of general practitioners is 43% in the medical profession.

Incidents related to treatment or denial of prescription

Therefore, the rest of the specialties represent 29% of the reported incidents (46 psychiatrists, 37 cardiologists, 26 gynecologists, 24 ophthalmologists and 20 occupational physicians reported having been victims of assaults and/or violence in 2022).

The census published this Tuesday by the College of Physicians and consulted by BFMTV does not specify the nature of these incidents. In 2021, these included verbal attacks, threats, robbery or attempted robbery, physical attacks, and vandalism.

However, it is indicated that in half of the cases the reason for the incident is a complaint regarding reimbursement or a refusal to prescribe. In 10% of cases, the incident is linked to a “waiting time considered excessive”. Only 12 incidents declared in 2022 have the mention “antivax” as their reason.

Most doctors do not file a complaint

These incidents take place in rural areas (21%), in urban centers (56%) or in urban suburbs (19%) and result in a work stoppage in only 6% of cases.

A large majority of the victims’ physicians (61%) did not file a complaint or post-incident complaint. A situation that has not changed in a year and that the National Council of the Order of Physicians already regretted at the time.

“The Order of Physicians strongly encourages victim physicians to take this step. While ‘surveillance-violence-security’ commissions are being deployed in all departmental councils of the Order, the Order reminds physicians that their departmental council may be support at any difficult time, and support for all legal steps that a doctor who is the victim of aggression wishes to undertake”, can be read on the institution’s website.